Radiator shield



F. A, MND

RADIATOR SHIELD Aug.a 3L, i926., Lg

Filed Oct. 23, 1923 ZM @ad Patented Aug. 31, 1926i.

UNIT" STATES FREDERICK A. LINIL, OF AKRON, OIIO.

RADIATOR sHIELD.

Application led October 23, 1923.

My invention relates to an air regulating device for automobile radiators,` and it has particular relation to apparatus of the character designated whereby the quantity of air permitted to pass through the radiator may be regulated at will.

The object of my invention consists in providing a relative inexpensive cover member which may be detachably fastened on the front face of the radiator and which may be adjusted as desired.

Automobile engines of the internal combustion type, are usually cooled by 'means of radiators through which a cooling medium is circulated. In order for the engine to operate efficiently in cool weather, or to act at all satisfactorily in very cold weather, it is necessary that the amount of cooling air passing through the radiator be recuced to a relatively small quantity as compared to the amount necessary to prevent overheating of the engine in warrn weather.

To accomplish this purpose several devices have been designed, the most commonly used of which consists of two sheets of card board or the like, one of which is provided with a hole at each side and the other of which is provided with a cooperating vertical slot, the structure being fas-Y tened to the radiator by means of metallic clips which pass through the holes in the stationary member' and the slots in the movable member, thence through the radiator core. A still further type consists of two sheets of resilient material which are of such length that the ends extend between the radiator shell and the core at each side of the radiator, the separate sections being held in position by means of a metallic clip which engages the front surface of the radiator shell and by means of a thumb screw, clamps it to the end of the resilient shield.

Several objections have arisen to the aforementioned types of shields among which are as follows: The first mentioned type is objectionable on account of the fact that the metallic clip which passes through the radiator very frequently punctures the same, the walls of radiator units being eX- tremely thin, and that the degree of friction necessary to prevent the dropping of the slidable member to its lowermost position, thus interfering with the desired adjustment, is so great as to cause injury to the radiating lins ofthe radiator core. The sec- Seral No. 670,282.

ond device is objectionable for the reason that frequently the radiator core is in direct enga-gement with the front of the radiator shell, thus preventing the insertion of the resilient members therebetween. Another objection is that if the thumb screws be tightened sufficiently to prevent sliding of the uppermost member, the clips will mar the surface of the front of the radiator shell. Another objection to these two types is that they are unserviceable where the radiator shell is of less width at the top than it is at the bottom, which condition exists in many of the automobiles manufactured at the present time.

By my invention l have produced a novel method of accomplishing the desired results, by means of which the objections set forth in connect-ion with the prior art are eliminated.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a radiator of the square shell type provided with a cover or shield constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the upper shield supporting member as punched from a piece of sheet metal; and Fig. S is an end view thereof.

Fig. 4l is an elevational view of the member shown in Fig. 2, after the linger portions have been bent at right angles to the main body portion; and Fig. 5 is an end view thereof.

Fig. G is an elevational view of one end of the lower shield supporting member, as punched from the blank sheet of metal; and Fig. 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 6. i

Fig. 8 is a view similar' to Fig. (i, representing the same member after the linger portions have been bent at right angles to the main body portion; and Fig. 9 is an end view of the structure illustrated in v Fig. 8.

Fig. l0 is a front elevational view of a radiator of the tapered shell type provided with a cover constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figs. l1 and l2 are detail views illustrating portions of the device shown ip Fig. l0; and A Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of a radiator with a shield attached illustrating CTI the manner in which my cover is retained in position.

In the drawing, I have shown a radiator 1 composed of the cutomary sheet metal shell 2 and a radiator core 3, which consists of a plurality of horizontally disposed fins 4: mounted upon vertically extending water pipes 5, which interconnect the' top and bottom waterchambers of the shell 2. A shield 6, constructed in accordance with my invention, is shown mounted upon the radiator. The main body portion of the shield 6 consists of a fiexible cover member 7, com posed of artificial leather or the like. Secured to the lower end of thel cover member 7 is a resilient sheet metal member 8, as best l shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the ends 9 of which are cut to .coliform Ato the contour of thev bottom of the radiator shell. 'Iheinember 8 is provided at its ends with integral fingers 10, for a .purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth. Secured to the upper end of the cover member 7 is a resilient sheet metal member 12, which is also provided with integral fingers 13, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5 inclusive.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown one end of the sheet metal member 12, as it is punched from a sheet metal blank, the two fingers 13 being disposed in the same plane with the main body portion 12. lIhe ngers 13 are then bentperpendicular to the main body portion 12 as shown in Figs. t and 5, afterwhich the member 12 is ready to be fastened into the flexible cover 7. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the fingers 10 are integral with the member 8, and the end portion 9 is curved to conform to the contour of' the radiator shell. The fingers 10 are then bent into a plane perpendicular with respect to the main body portion 8, Vas best shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The member 8 is then ready to be fastened into the lower endV of the cover 7. Y

The member 8 is intended to be stationarily mounted at the lowermost end of the radiator. The upper memberA 12 is folded so as to wrap any desired portion' of the cover member 7 thereabout, after which it is fastened in any desired position on the radiator, thus providing adjustability of the device. As best shown in-Fig. 13 the member 12 is fastened to the radiator by inserting the fingers 13 between adjacent fins et of the radiator, and back of the front edge of' the radiator shell 2. This is accomplished by inserting one end of the device, then bending the central portion of the member 12 outwardly until the fingers 13 of the opposite end may pass beneath the edge of' the 'shell 2, after which themember Y 12 is released, at which time it will ,return to its original straight position by reason of its resiliency.

The member 12 1s held in thedesired position by a clamping engagement between the lingers 13 and the inner surface of the shell 2 and the main body portion 12 and the front edge of the fins 4. The fact that the member 12 is covered increases its clamping action and reduces any possibility of noise or injury to the fins. As the ment ber 12 is ordinarily about an inch and onehalf in width and the fins l are ordinarily about one-tenth of an inch apart, the mempreventing the use of a single metallic membervas shown at 12 in Fig. 1. In the struc` ture illustrated in this device a lowermost sheet metal member 15, which conforms to the width and contour of the radiator shell and is composed of a single member, secures the lowermost-portion of' the curtain to the radiator. The upper member .16 is composed of two separate members 17 and 18 as best shown in Figs. 11 and v12. The outer ends of the members 17 and 18 are provided with ingers bent in a manner similar to that describedin connection with Figs. t and 5. Themember 17 is provided adjacent its inner end with a longitudinally extending slot` 19. The member 18 is provided with integral outwardly bent flanges 20 which project through the slot 19 in the member 17 and are bent back upon themselves so as to engage the member 20, thus forming a firm sliding union between the members 17 and 18. In Fthis model of my invention, the member 16 is rolled and unrolled to the desired position, the members -17 and 18 are moved with respect to each other so as to be of the desired combined f .of the radiator core, after which the fingers are inserted in the back of the shell 2, causing the main body member with its wrap'- ping of flexible material, to engage the front .of the radiator core.

IfV the radiator core be disposed an abnormal distance from the front of the shell so that suflicient clamping action between the engagement of the fingers on the front. of the shell, and that of the main body por" tion on the front of the radiator core is not suflicient, the back side of the fingers 13 and l0, whichentend between the fins 4, will serve to support the members in position. lt will be apparent that substantially n o support is necessary when the engine is running, owing to the suction of air through the radiator, and that the support provided is ample for all instances. l am of the opinion that the two fingers 13 and lO may be substituted by a single linger which will serve the purpose equally Well, but the additional lingers eliminate any question as to the device being of sufficient strength.

My invention may also be employed on radiators of the honey-comb type, particularly those where the sides of the radiator shells are parallel, and is not limited to use on the type of radiator shown.

Although I have illustrated several forms which my invention may assume, and have described in detail several applic-ations thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but that various minor modifications and changes may be made therein without departing' from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim is l. A device adapted to be mounted on an automobile radiator consisting of a shell surrounding a core composed of spaced elements, said device comprising a relatively resilient member adapted to fric-tionally engage the outer surface of the radiator core, and provided with fingers adapted to be disposed intermediate adjacent elements of the radiator core and to frictionally engage the inner surface of the radiator shell.

2. A device adapted to be mounted on an automobile radiator comprising a relative resilient member adapted to be secured thereto by clampingly engaging the inner surface of the radiator shell and the outer surface of the radiator core, and a flexible cover wrapped about said member.

3. An air regulating device for automobile radiators comprising a flexible covering member, means for stationarily securing onel end of said covering member to the front of the radiator, and a relatively flat member adapted to have a portion of the flexible member wrapped thereabout and adapted to be adjustably secured to the front of t-he radiator, said fiat member being provided with lingers adapted to engage the radiator shell.

t. An air regulating device for automobile radiators comprising a flexible cover having a relatively long flat resilient member attached adjacent each end thereof, each of said members being adapted to fric tionally engage the outside surface of the radiator core and the inside surface of the shell surrounding the core.

5. An air regulating device for automobile radiators comprising a flexible cover having a long flat 'relatively resilient member attached adjacent cach end thereof, each of said members being adapted to fric- L' lly engage the outside surface of the rio radiator core and provided `with lingers adapted to entend between adjacent radiating hns of the core and engage the inside surface of the radiator shell, one of said members being adapted to be stationarily mounted adjacent the bottom of the radiator core and the other having a portion of l posed between adjacent fins of the radiator core and to engage the inner surface of the shell surrounding the core.

7. An air regulating device for automobile radiators comprising a flexible cover having a relatively long` sheet-metal member attached to each end thereof, each of said members having ofl'set integral fingers bent at right angles to the main body portion, said main body portion being adapted to engage the outside of the radiator core and said fingers being adapted to be disposed between adjacent fins of the radiator core and to engage the inner surface of the shell surrounding the core, one of said members being of suoli shape as to conform to the contour of the bottom of the exposed portion of the radiator core and adapted to be attached thereto, and the other of said members having a portion of said cover wound thereabout and adapted to be removably adjustably secured on said core above the first mentioned member.

8. Means adapted to be adjustably mount-ed on an automobile radiator comlli) l0. An air regulating device for automoto adjustably secure it in position on the bile radiators comprising a flexible cover of radiator, the length. of said upper Sheet 10 substantially the same size and contour as metal member being adjustable to Conform the exposed portion or the radiator core, a to the width oit the radiator. sheet-metal member attached to the lower In Witnessr whereof, I have hereunto end of said cover and adapted to secure it in signed my name. position, and a sheet-metal chamber attached to the upper end of said cover and adapted FREDERICK A. LIND. 

